diff --git a/fs/inode/fs_inoderemove.c b/fs/inode/fs_inoderemove.c
index 44232b360e..a9ce4cc0d5 100644
--- a/fs/inode/fs_inoderemove.c
+++ b/fs/inode/fs_inoderemove.c
@@ -94,7 +94,8 @@ FAR struct inode *inode_unlink(FAR const char *path)
           desc.parent->i_child = node->i_peer;
         }
 
-      node->i_peer = NULL;
+      node->i_peer   = NULL;
+      node->i_parent = NULL;
     }
 
   RELEASE_SEARCH(&desc);
diff --git a/fs/inode/fs_inodereserve.c b/fs/inode/fs_inodereserve.c
index 07a6e0d7f3..17b82cce5e 100644
--- a/fs/inode/fs_inodereserve.c
+++ b/fs/inode/fs_inodereserve.c
@@ -98,8 +98,9 @@ static void inode_insert(FAR struct inode *node,
 
   if (peer)
     {
-      node->i_peer = peer->i_peer;
-      peer->i_peer = node;
+      node->i_peer   = peer->i_peer;
+      node->i_parent = parent;
+      peer->i_peer   = node;
     }
 
   /* Then it must go at the head of parent's list of children. */
@@ -108,6 +109,7 @@ static void inode_insert(FAR struct inode *node,
     {
       DEBUGASSERT(parent != NULL);
       node->i_peer    = parent->i_child;
+      node->i_parent  = parent;
       parent->i_child = node;
     }
 }
diff --git a/fs/vfs/fs_rename.c b/fs/vfs/fs_rename.c
index 173d26f525..c180b2b23f 100644
--- a/fs/vfs/fs_rename.c
+++ b/fs/vfs/fs_rename.c
@@ -231,7 +231,8 @@ next_subdir:
 
   /* Remove all of the children from the unlinked inode */
 
-  oldinode->i_child = NULL;
+  oldinode->i_child  = NULL;
+  oldinode->i_parent = NULL;
   ret = OK;
 
 errout_with_sem:
diff --git a/include/nuttx/fs/fs.h b/include/nuttx/fs/fs.h
index af6157e758..7bdf79c8d0 100644
--- a/include/nuttx/fs/fs.h
+++ b/include/nuttx/fs/fs.h
@@ -347,6 +347,7 @@ union inode_ops_u
 
 struct inode
 {
+  FAR struct inode *i_parent;   /* Link to parent level inode */
   FAR struct inode *i_peer;     /* Link to same level inode */
   FAR struct inode *i_child;    /* Link to lower level inode */
   int16_t           i_crefs;    /* References to inode */